An Extension For Shaq?

NBA Report - Notes

May 11, 2000

Shaquille O'Neal is the NBA's Most Valuable Player, and Lakers owner Jerry Buss said he hopes he'll be his team's MVP until the day he retires. O'Neal, whose contract expires in 2003, is eligible this summer to sign a three-year extension worth $83.5 million. That would take him through his 34th birthday.

``I think he wants to, and we certainly want to have him finish his career here,'' Buss said Tuesday, after the league presented O'Neal with the award. But as for the extension this summer, Buss said, ``That, I don't know. I really need to talk to some people at the NBA and see what direction they think our people should take.''

For now, Buss is enjoying the return on the original $124 million he invested in O'Neal in 1996. Like everyone else, Buss said he saw a new level of dedication from O'Neal this season.

``I think his devotion to the game, focused. Totally focused, totally devoted to winning,'' he said. ``I don't think there's been a doubt in anybody's mind from day one that he was on a mission to see if he could lead us to the championship. ... This is a very good team, a very good team. I think they're at their peak, and barring injuries and unforeseen things, I'm very confident.''

Buss also expects General Manager Mitch Kupchak to remain with the Lakers, despite interest from the New Jersey Nets, who want to make him their director of basketball operations. Buss gave permission for Kupchak to interview with the Nets.

``That could be a very, very important job, and anybody that works for me, I think, always has the opportunity to investigate other possibilities,'' Buss said. ``I don't expect Mitch to go, quite honestly. But I do think he's entitled to his day in court. ... He's a Los Angelean, and we expect him to stay.''

Ewing practices hard

Patrick Ewing banged around in the low post, shot dozens of 12-footers and even hoisted up a handful of 3-pointers at practice Wednesday.

Moving easily as he worked up a healthy sweat, Ewing insisted the back spasms that bothered him in Games 1 and 2 against Miami were no big deal.

``I'm not worrying about my back, it feels OK,'' Ewing said. ``I'm able to play, and that's the bottom line.''

Ewing wore a heating pad around his lower back when he sat on the bench during the first two games of the series, which resumes Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Ewing shot six-for-16 in Game 1 and four-for-12 in Game 2.

Turner Sports analyst John Thompson, who coached Ewing at Georgetown, said during Tuesday night's broadcast that Ewing's injury was worse that he was admitting. And Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy conceded Wednesday that his star center was ``obviously hampered'' by the back spasms.Still, there was no sign of any pain as Ewing was one of the few Knicks to practice hard after a short film session and team meeting. Some 30 minutes after many of his teammates had left practice, Ewing still was working with assistant coach Brendan Malone and banging around with backup center Andrew Lang.

``Trying to get back in the groove,'' he explained.

``I was hampered and had kind of lost my footwork, I worked on it a little bit.''

NBA, TSN reach TV deal

The NBA and TSN on Wednesday extended their television agreement for another two years.

The new contract will include 26 regular-season games -- at least eight featuring Canadian teams -- and 18 playoff games.

TSN also will broadcast an exhibition game between the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies.